Daily Republican., 1887-07-05
Our Natal Celebration.

Whatever the observAuoss Of the
Fourth OF July may have been In
other cities, In Wilmington they were
OF the most varied aud patriotic char.
actes. IL Is the general remark that Il
was the noisest and most demonstra-
tive Fourth OF July ever known In
Wilmington Every body seemed ben.
upon celebrating the dsy in their own
manner, but there was nothing doI Q
not REDUNDANT With patriotism, and In
which the glorious stars and stripes
were not recognizsd IS the insignia OF
liberty. Il was one OF those days
which the elder Adams predicted would
be observed by bouhres aud firing OF
cannon and other demonstrations OF de.
Hight .Oon slderlpg the amount Of pow.
der burned and the thousands Of fire.
crackers thrown carelessly through the
cir In Gil directions, there IL remark
able absence OF damage BY Are, and
accidents are as remarkably few. An
Offset to this are the shocks nervous And
slck people may have received, which
IL is hoped are few and not serious. The
leading points OF interest were the east
side celebration at Tenth and LON bard
streets, the Land League demonstration
in Union Park, Fsout and Union
etreets, and the rifs matches In S,heu.-
asn Park, oil Of which were grand sue
cessss. The Land League demonstration
drew out from the heart OF the oily the
pAtrioic Home Rule American Irish
aud besides hundreds OF sympathizing
Ameeicsns, and those who had nos the
dfty cents to spare With thousands who
had found their way to the east side
celebrations. Tbs athletic sports as the
lat er by volunteer athletes, ard the
same at the Union Park by the Warren
Club were among,t the leading features
and were highly appreciated.
The are works at Ninth aud L Jm bard
streets IN the evening were not only
Witnessed by crowded thousands who
had repaired to .hSt place to be en:sr-
sAine5, but the R,nan candles % they
shot up through the air, aud the sky
rockets as they burst far above the tall ,
eel sseeples, scattering Stars OF livid,
vAxiega ated light, we're Witnessed by pao-
pie at their homes in Gil sections OF the
city. Not only from this one main
point did rockets fill the air, bu. they
shot up all over the city, and besides
witnessing the general celebration
every body seemed to have little cele-
brntion OF their own. The police force,
though small, seemed adequate for the
occasion, and to Mayor Rhoads and
Chist Dougherty much credit is due for
snch distribution OF their small! force,
that they were generally where and
when Hsss needed. To Ohiet s xseney
OF the Flfe Dsparsm snt belongs . large
meed Of praise for his judtcious ar
rangements to be on hand with his fire
laddte," whenever needed almost ir-
stAn.ly after the tap OF the alarm bell.
The principal thing to be regretted In
connection with this last Observance Of
our natal holiday, was the large mum.
her Of people who thought that the best
aud most practical way OF showing
their patriotism WAS by getting drunk,
and misoshaving themselves like IRA.
tionsl beings. 1t seems remarkably
strange that 30 many people, who
should know better, see no pleasure IN
a holiday unless they bscoms intoxlca-
ted. Many su,h will to-day when re-
stored to their natural condition of
mind Wish either that there were no
liquors or that there were no Fourth Of |
Julys.
Altogether the csle ebrasion OF the one
hundred and eleventh anniversary OF
our natal day will generally be remem-
bered with pleasure,